Hamilton's super WaWa debate continues over Route 33 site

A sign reading, "Join Wawa, " posted on the site of the 9.8-acre site of the former Patterson Chevrolet. Delco Development hopes to build a Wawa there with a convenience store and gas station.Mike Davis/ The Times of Trenton

HAMILTON — The debate over a proposed super Wawa gas station and convenience store will rage on after no vote was taken on the issue tonight.

Planners today testified on behalf of local BP gas station owner Walt Steele, one of many residents who are protesting Delco Development’s proposed redevelopment of the former Patterson Chevrolet site on Route 33.

Tonight, Steele presented a diagram of dozens of gas stations he believed closed after a Wawa gas station opened within one mile, including his own former BP station in Turnersville.

“If I lose 50,000 gallons, I’m out of business,” said Steele, whose BP station is about a quarter-mile from the Patterson site. “Their traffic planner has testified that there won’t be any more new traffic in the area, so where are we going to get those customers from?”

Board member Vince Savelli argued against Steele’s reservations and suggested he “jockey around” to compete with any new gas station that comes in.

“If gas stations are put out of business, you have an opportunity for urban blight,” said William Potter, Steele’s attorney.

“There’s nothing at that property right now. You could consider that blight,” Savelli said.

Attorney Richard Fornaro, representing Delco Development, argued that Steele was unable to confirm whether the gas stations he listed had closed specifically due to losing business to Wawa.

Delco has proposed a two-phase project to turn the Patterson site into Hamilton Point Center, the first phase of which would include the 5,500-square-foot Wawa and 7,900-square-foot retail building.

Later phases of the project call for 70,000 square feet of retail space across the Patterson site and adjacent Hamilton Chrysler site, both of which Delco owns.

Last year, the township council removed a law that restricted new gas stations from opening near those already in operation, opening up the township to two super Wawa proposals.

The planning board approved the first one, proposed for the Deer Path Plaza on Route 130, last March.

The chief waiver required for the Wawa gas station plan to move forward would bypass a township ordinance that prohibits gasoline stations from operating within 1,000 feet of a church, two of which are about 500 feet away, planner Sean Moronski said tonight.

Moronski, testifying on Steele’s behalf, argued that the township’s master plan included specific recommendations for the Patterson site, including distancing gas stations from nearby residential developments.

With the nearest residential lot less than 250 feet from a pump, Moronski suggested the board deny the application.

“The master plan has very distinct, specific recommendations for this site. It’s not vague,” Moronski said. “There is a clear vision for this site and, clearly, the proposed gas station cannot be reconciled with the master plan.”